A senior officer with the Air Force Draft Board said that
several thousand high school students from various institutions
have passed their initial physical exams to enter flight school.
Approximately 60,000 students have applied to enter the Air Force
flight training program this year.
Applicants must pass the national college entrance examinations
scheduled for June, said the officer, who declined to say how many
of them will ultimately be selected.
A stringent second round of physical testing will be
administered to applicants who pass the college examinations and
initial physical exam.
The Air Force has started recruiting and training high-caliber
service people to match the increasing complexity of weapons and
equipment.
Last June, the Air Force announced that it had selected its
first group of 19 science and engineering graduates from among
thousands of applicants from 74 Chinese universities. They were the
first students enrolled by the aviation college from universities
without military affiliations since China implemented its military
aviation college enrollment reform in 1987.
The successful applicants will study aviation theory and flying
at the China Air Force Aviation College for two years, said the
officer. Those who qualify will become pilots with a military
bachelor's degree.
Also in June last year, 20 pilots—China's first group of Air
Force pilots with bachelor's degrees -- left flight training for
service in combat units flying new fighter planes.
They were selected from among 5,000 university graduates from 19
military academies or colleges in July 2000. After graduating in
2002, they spent a year in flight school.
The pilots were described by Air Force officers as well informed
and well educated with a good command of foreign languages.
(China.org.cn, eastday.com May 8, 2004)